You are trapped on an island with cyclopes, and they have ordered you to prepare them a meal. They have thrown you into a cage with a stew pot, and you must pick from the items around you to make the best (possible) stew. You can pick only 3 items to put in your stew pot before it overflows, so choose wisely or they may eat you for dinner instead!
[[Play]]
It’s dark inside. But as your eyes adjust to the poor light, they observe the walls that are adorned with the trophies of the cyclopes’ former victories. The pot at the center of the room is steaming, and the broth inside seems as hot as lava. Remnants of old heroes remain scattered across the wall, and you realize you have limited options (if you can call them that) for this stew.
[[Look at North Wall]]
[[Look at East Wall]]
[[Look at South Wall]]
[[Look at West Wall]]
[[Serve Stew]]
(set: $stewchoice to 0)As you scan the **North Wall** you see a very unpleasant sight of bloodied and mangled remains. Some appear recent while others appear to be quite old. You almost can’t stomach the sight anymore when you spot a single [[sandal]] dangling from a poor soldier’s foot.
[[Return to Pot]]
A lacerated soldier lays slumped upon the **East Wall**. As your eyes travel down, you see fragments of his old [[shield]] propped up against the wall, still covered in both blood and tales of the heroes from long ago.
[[Return to Pot]]
You look at the least cluttered wall in the room, unable to stand the sight and stench of rotting corpses, when something shiny catches your eye on the **South Wall**. As you look closer you see that it’s not something shiny, but merely the flame beneath your stew being reflected on a small rounded piece of [[glass]] which magnifies everything behind it.
[[Return to Pot]]
A large pile of bones cover most of this wall. Thankfully they appear to belong to sheep and not humans. However, there are two strange items in the pile. The first is a blood stained [[wooden stake]] splintered at the end from previous use. The second is a wreath of long [[wilted flowers]].
[[Return to Pot]]
Cyclopes are ever the fashionistas, eating men armor and all, and it seems that these shoes provide a good source of fiber.
(if: $addSandal is true)[ [[You already added this item to your stew|Look at North Wall]] ]
(if: $addSandal is not true and $stewchoice< 3)|addSandalStew>[Add Sandal to Stew]
(set: $hasSandal to false)(click:?addSandalStew)[You added the sandal to the stew. (set: $hasSandal to true)(set: $addSandal to true)(set: $stewchoice to $stewchoice+1)
(if: $stewchoice is 1)[ You can add 2 more ingredients to your stew. ](if: $stewchoice is 2)[ You can add 1 more ingredient to your stew ](if: $stewchoice is 3)[ You've added enough ingredients! You should serve your stew. ]]
(if: $stewchoice is 3)[ You've already added as many ingredients as you can! You should serve your stew. ]
[[Return to Pot]]You try to take in all of your surroundings as you decide where to look next.
[[Look at North Wall]]
[[Look at East Wall]]
[[Look at South Wall]]
[[Look at West Wall]]
[[Serve Stew]]Cyclopes eat men whole, but it appears that this portion of the shield missed digestion. The jagged edges will probably cut internal organs, but nothing your good ole’ fashioned cyclopes can’t handle
(if: $addShield is true)[ [[You already added this item to your stew|Look at East Wall]] ]
(if: $addShield is not true and $stewchoice< 3)|addShieldStew>[Add Shield to Stew]
(set: $hasShield to false)(click:?addShieldStew)[You added the shield to the stew. (set: $hasShield to true)(set: $addShield to true)(set: $stewchoice to $stewchoice+1)
(if: $stewchoice is 1)[ You can add 2 more ingredients to your stew. ](if: $stewchoice is 2)[ You can add 1 more ingredient to your stew ](if: $stewchoice is 3)[ You've added enough ingredients! You should serve your stew. ]]
(if: $stewchoice is 3)[ You've already added as many ingredients as you can! You should serve your stew. ]
[[Return to Pot]]Hey, even heroes didn’t have perfect vision...though as to why someone wanted a magnified view of cyclopes I’ll never know. Definitely sharp enough to cut something, but it’s so tiny!
(if: $addGlass is true)[ [[You already added this item to your stew|Look at South Wall]] ]
(if: $addGlass is not true and $stewchoice< 3)|addGlassStew>[Add Glass to Stew]
(set: $hasGlass to false)(click:?addGlassStew)[You added the glass to the stew. (set: $hasGlass to true)(set: $addGlass to true)(set: $stewchoice to $stewchoice+1)
(if: $stewchoice is 1)[ You can add 2 more ingredients to your stew. ](if: $stewchoice is 2)[ You can add 1 more ingredient to your stew ](if: $stewchoice is 3)[ You've added enough ingredients! You should serve your stew. ]]
(if: $stewchoice is 3)[ You've already added as many ingredients as you can! You should serve your stew. ]
[[Return to Pot]]The sheer size and pointiness of the stake would certainly puncture any internal organs if swallowed. But hang on, is that remnants of an eyeball hanging off the stake? Now who would stab someone in the eye to escape this island. Nobody, that’s who.
(if: $addStake is true)[ [[You already added this item to your stew|Look at West Wall]] ]
(if: $addStake is not true and $stewchoice< 3)|addStakeStew>[Add Wooden Stake to Stew](set: $hasStake to false)
(click:?addStakeStew)[You added the wooden stake to the stew. (set: $hasStake to true)(set: $addStake to true)(set: $stewchoice to $stewchoice+1)
(if: $stewchoice is 1)[ You can add 2 more ingrediants to your stew. ](if: $stewchoice is 2)[ You can add 1 more ingredient to your stew ](if: $stewchoice is 3)[ You've added enough ingredients! You should serve your stew. ]]
(if: $stewchoice is 3)[ You've already added as many ingredients as you can! You should serve your stew. ]
[[Return to Pot]]
What beautiful and damp sea flowers! Who knew that even the cyclopes had a sentimental side, as if they were remembering lost loves. Perhaps, if you ever get out of here you can plant these flowers along the Acis River and watch them blossom. In the meantime, let’s get cracking on that stew. These could be edible...
(if: $addFlowers is true)[ [[You already added this item to your stew|Look at West Wall]] ]
(if: $addFlowers is not true and $stewchoice< 3)|addFlowersStew>[Add Wilted Flowers to Stew](set: $hasFlowers to false)
(click:?addFlowersStew)[You added the wilted flowers to the stew. (set: $hasFlowers to true)(set: $addFlowers to true)(set: $stewchoice to $stewchoice+1)
(if: $stewchoice is 1)[ You can add 2 more ingredients to your stew. ](if: $stewchoice is 2)[ You can add 1 more ingredient to your stew ](if: $stewchoice is 3)[ You've added enough ingredients! You should serve your stew. ]]
(if: $stewchoice is 3)[ You've already added as many ingredients as you can! You should serve your stew. ]
[[Return to Pot]] (if: $stewchoice < 3)[ You have not added enough ingredients to your stew.
[[Return to Pot]] ]
(if: $hasStake is true and $hasSandal is true and $hasGlass is true )[ The cyclopes seem to tear into their meal viciously, but suddenly, they stop. They make faces of disgust at the soup and flip over their bowls. It appears that few things make cyclopes angrier than a bad meal. They come charging towards you. You try to make a run for the shore, but are quickly caught. Before you even have a chance to react, you become a great end to a horrible meal. ](if: $hasStake is true and $hasSandal is true and $hasShield is true)[ The cyclopes eat their meal ravenously. They quickly finish what you have prepared, but still appear to be hungry. You immediately offer to make them more stew, if only to buy you time. They seem to agree that your cooking was decent enough and throw you back in the cage with the stew pot. You have even fewer ingredients than last time. Even if you had the aid of the gods, you know that your luck is soon going to run out. ] (if: $hasStake is true and $hasSandal is true and $hasFlowers is true)[ The cyclopes dig into their meal furiously, grunting in what you can only interpret to be satisfaction. They quickly finish your stew, and suddenly fix their gaze on you. It seems that your meal was too tasty, and they can only think of one dessert worthy of finishing it off.Just as one of them reaches for you, he seizes clutching his chest. The others soon follow, moaning in agony. One by one they fall to ground writhing with pained expressions, until suddenly their movement and breath cease. You take this opportunity to run to the shore of the island, and are shocked by an amazing sight. It appears the smoke from your vile stew has caught the attention of a passing ship! You are saved! ](if: $hasStake is true and $hasGlass is true and $hasShield is true)[ The cyclopes eat their meal ravenously. They quickly finish what you have prepared, but still appear to be hungry. You immediately offer to make them more stew, if only to buy you time. They seem to agree that your cooking was decent enough and throw you back in the cage with the stew pot. You have even fewer ingredients than last time. Even if you had the aid of the gods, you know that your luck is soon going to run out. ] (if: $hasStake is true and $hasGlass is true and $hasFlowers is true)[ The cyclopes dig into their meal furiously, grunting in what you can only interpret to be satisfaction.They quickly finish your stew, and suddenly fix their gaze on you. It seems that your meal was too tasty, and they can only think of one dessert worthy of finishing it off. Just as one of them reaches for you, he seizes clutching his chest. The others soon follow, moaning in agony. One by one they fall to ground writhing with pained expressions, until suddenly their movement and breath cease. You take this opportunity to run to the shore of the island, and are shocked by an amazing sight. It appears the smoke from your vile stew has caught the attention of a passing ship! You are saved! ](if: $hasStake is true and $hasShield is true and $hasFlowers is true)[ The cyclopes dig into their meal furiously, grunting in what you can only interpret to be satisfaction. They quickly finish your stew, and suddenly fix their gaze on you. It seems that your meal was too tasty, and they can only think of one dessert worthy of finishing it off. Just as one of them reaches for you, he seizes clutching his chest. The others soon follow, moaning in agony. One by one they fall to ground writhing with pained expressions, until suddenly their movement and breath cease. You take this opportunity to run to the shore of the island, and are shocked by an amazing sight. It appears the smoke from your vile stew has caught the attention of a passing ship! You are saved!](if: $hasSandal is true and $hasGlass is true and $hasShield is true)[ The cyclopes eat their meal ravenously. They quickly finish what you have prepared, but still appear to be hungry. You immediately offer to make them more stew, if only to buy you time. They seem to agree that your cooking was decent enough and throw you back in the cage with the stew pot. You have even fewer ingredients than last time. Even if you had the aid of the gods, you know that your luck is soon going to run out. ](if: $hasSandal is true and $hasShield is true and $hasFlowers is true)[ The cyclopes seem to tear into their meal viciously, but suddenly, they stop. They make faces of disgust at the soup and flip over their bowls. It appears that few things make cyclopes angrier than a bad meal. They come charging towards you. You try to make a run for the shore, but are quickly caught. Before you even have a chance to react, you become a great end to a horrible meal. ] (if: $hasGlass is true and $hasSandal is true and $hasFlowers is true)[ The cyclopes seem to tear into their meal viciously, but suddenly, they stop. They make faces of disgust at the soup and flip over their bowls. It appears that few things make cyclopes angrier than a bad meal. They come charging towards you. You try to make a run for the shore, but are quickly caught. Before you even have a chance to react, you become a great end to a horrible meal. ] (if: $hasShield is true and $hasGlass is true and $hasFlowers is true)[ The cyclopes eat their meal ravenously. They quickly finish what you have prepared, but still appear to be hungry. You immediately offer to make them more stew, if only to buy you time. They seem to agree that your cooking was decent enough and throw you back in the cage with the stew pot. You have even fewer ingredients than last time. Even if you had the aid of the gods, you know that your luck is soon going to run out. ]
(if: $stewchoice is 3)[**Thanks for playing!**
By Jessica Gonzalez-Wu and Abeirame Guruparan
July 2015]